Stan started the drive out of Panama City. Just under the speed limit. Watching the lights of the traffic on all sides.
It was hard to talk with everybody sitting in silence. Strapped in and trying to make sense of what happened.
“How did they find us?”
Mo spread his hands. “I can see how Jeanette found us. According to what Haggis told you, it was just a casual slip during a conversation, and she just did an old-school tail.”
“Right, but how did the office know? To show up at the hotel right when we did?”
Mo rubbed his head, something Stan had seen him do whenever he was thinking. “You said Ian told you they was from Tallahassee sent out to intercept us.”
“That’s right.”
“Does that mean the attorney general?”
“I think we have to assume that.”
“So their info includes whatever was in the evidence packet you sent.”
Stan hit the wheel with his fist. “But I never said where I was going in that shit.”
“Well, it’s coming from somewhere.”
Stan didn’t want to think about what it was going to cost him to have Ian’s support. Add an investigation to the mix? Did he even have enough money left? How was he going to live when he drained every account he had?
Not surviving it was becoming the most economical option.
“What about your bank?” Mo said.
Stan almost shook his head. Shouted his denial, but he had to pause to think. “Mr. Clarke is an accounts manager in the Belling National Trust. I’ve never actually met him. But I pay him to handle this kind of thing. Extra to make sure my valuables get into a safety deposit box. He’s righteous.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe what?”
Mo shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s not as righteous as you think. Maybe you’re not paying him enough. Maybe somebody got to him.”
Stan nodded. “No, you’re right. It’s the only thing that makes sense. It’s the only way anybody would have found out where we were or where we were going.”
“Then that’s how everybody knew.”
Stan held his hand up. “But it doesn’t mean he did it on purpose.”
Mo tipped his head in acceptance. “Agreed. They could have just been asking questions. Maybe make it official sounding. He complied up to a point.”
“Yeah, it would make sense if he told them to pound sound without a warrant.”
“National Trust?” Mo asked.
“Yeah.”
“Then I doubt even these dumb motherfuckers would be willing to force Clarke to open a federal safety deposit box without something very official.”
“Which they don’t have.”
Mo nodded. “Right. And does this Clarke guy know you?”
“Nope. And even though the way he handles my box isn’t strictly on the up-and-up, I don’t think there’s any real reason to assume what I’m doing is illegal. Plus, he thinks my name is Frank Stanley.”
Mo laughed. “You’re like one of those actors that only take roles where the character has the same name as them.”
Stan ignored him. “It’ll be easy. We just stake it out when we get down there. Give him a couple of calls. See what’s really going on. Then we can make a decision. Right now, though, I need to eat.”
Gen’s voice startled him. He thought she had fallen asleep. “What about Gustoff?”
“What about her?”
“Isn’t she that lady cop you were talking about? The one that followed us to the hotel?”
“Yeah, but she knew we were going there because of Haggis.”
“Right, but isn’t she there right now?”
“Yeah, probably running up an astronomical room service bill.”
Mo laughed again, “You told her too.”
“Yeah, well —”
“Dammit! Listen to me,” Gen shouted.
Stan glanced over at Mo, but he was staring back at Gen. “What is it?”
“Can they trace her to you? Can they find her room and … can they get in? They might hurt her.”
Stan shook his head. “I don’t think … shit, I don’t know. Maybe.”
“You have to call her.”
“What if they are tracing our phones?”
“What if they are. We have to take that chance.”
Take the chance that they would be found, that Ronnie might get killed because of his carelessness.
“She’s right,” Mo said.
“Fine. Then call her.”
Gen leaned forward. “We can’t let her get hurt.”
“I know.”
“They might find her. They might have already found her.”
“I know.”
Mo cupped his hand over the microphone of the cell. “What’s her room number?”
“402.”
“They might be beating her or raping her,” Gen said.
“Jesus, I know.”
Mo dropped the phone. “No answer.”
“What if they’re in there already?” Gen cried.
Stan leaned away from her voice. “Call Haggis.”
Mo nodded, picked the phone back up, and dialed.
Stan clenched his jaw. “They’re definitely waiting for us at the bank anyway.”
“Definitely,” Mo said.
Gen grabbed the seatback to get closer to Mo. “Is he answering?”
Mo shook his head. “It went to voicemail.”
“Why call him anyway?” Gen asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe she called him to tell him what happened.”
Mo turned to look at Gen. “That’s right. Maybe they’re talking to each other right now.”
“Or maybe she’s dead,” she said, and she slammed back into her seat.
“Will somebody tell me what is going on?” Ronnie asked.
Nobody answered.
Stan stared at the streaks of tail lights ahead of them. Thought about the office and what they knew. They definitely knew about him. Had probably deduced what might be in the box.
It also meant Bailey and Grimes weren’t going to kill him. They possibly weren't going to kill Ronnie either.
He looked at Mo. “They were going to kill you and Gen for sure, but I don’t think they were going to kill Ronnie and me.”
Ronnie snorted. “Tell that to the asshole that was going to kill me at my apartment.”
“But was he? Did he actually say it?”
“I don’t remember,” she said in a sullen whisper.
“What are you saying, Stan?” Mo said.
Stan held his breath for a moment. Let it out through his nose. “They need to know what’s in that box. I’m the only one that can authorize Clarke to do it. They can’t kill me.”
“What about me?” Ronnie said.
“It makes sense that they would keep you alive to make me comply. Nothing says they have to keep their hands off you. They could chain you in the dark and abuse you for days. As long as I thought there was a chance getting you out of it alive, I’d do just about anything. At least that’s what they hope.”
The silence stretched out. Just breathing and throat clearing. Soft crying coming form the back seat.
“Would you?” Ronnie asked.
“Would I what?”
“Give it to them if they threatened me?”
He wiped at the tears spilling down his cheeks. She had asked the exact question he never wanted to answer. Opened a door he desperately wanted to keep closed.
“Would you?” she asked again.
He gripped the wheel until his forearms quivered from effort. “You are what makes me worth a damn. The only thing that proves I have any place in this fucking world. It’s you. You’re goddamned right I’d give it to them. I’d give them my fucking soul of it meant you would be safe.”
After several moments of her taking a breath to speak then letting it out like she was deflating, she finally responded. “You mean they could hurt you because of me? Maybe even hurt more little girls because you were afraid of losing me?”
He wasn’t going to lie to her about it anymore. “Yes. That’s why I wanted you to stay away from this, to get as far from me as you could. That’s why I was always leaving you out of it. That’s why … ”
He trailed off. There was nothing left to say. It was all too late.
“Lemme try Jeanette again,” Mo said. He held the phone up and dialed. After a few moments he dropped it into his lap. “Still no answer.”
Stan sighed. He was always too late.